Seal-lock



(No llode l.)

Y R. A. MILLS.

SEAL LOCK.

No. 593,598. Patented Nov. 16,1897.

Tnz uonms PETERS co. wan-ammo. usnwm-on. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

ROBERT AUGUSTUS MILLS, OF ORLANDO, FLORIDA.

SEAL-LOCK.

. z SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,598, dated November 16, 1897.

Application filed. June 22, 1897. Serial No. 641,794. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT AUGUSTUS MILLS, of Orlando, in the county of Orange and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a seal-lock for securing the month end of mail or other bags or sacks containing valuables or money, the object being to prevent tampering with the bags in storage or during transportation without liability of instant detection.

It consists in a novel construction of bagholder case or box and of a seal-lock for securing the mouth of the bag in said holder. It will be understood from the following description and claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the holdercase, showing the folded end or mouth of the bag secured therein. Fig. 2 represents a transverse section through the holder and the sealing device. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the holder box or case and of the lid or cover thereof slightly removed to show the casing-pins for engaging said lid, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the flanged rim and the punch for applying the lead seals.

1 indicates a shallow box or case made, preferably, of metal and openupon one side or in front for the insertion or passage through said front of the folded ends of the bag to be secured in said case, said bag being indicated at 2. 3 indicates the lid or cover of the box, made fiat or without flanges, as described, to adapt it to fit upon said box or case. It is provided near its corners with a series of perforations adapting it to engage pins 4:, projecting from the side and end flanges of the box or case, as shown, or these pins may be formed upon the lid and adapted to engage perforations in the box-flanges. The bottom of the box or case is perforated to receive a sleeve or cylinder 5, internally screw-threaded to adapt it to receive a flatheaded screw 6 of sufficient length to engage the entire length of the said sleeve with its end flush with the lower end of said sleeve.

This sleeve is preferably permanently secured in the lower wall of the box or case, and said lower face of the box is countersunk around the end of the sleeve for a purpose which will appear. The lid is provided with a central perforation adapting it to engage the upper end of the sleeve or cylinder 5 engaging said lid, and the upper face of the lid surrounding the said sleeve is countersunk for adapting it to receive a washer 7, interposed between the head of the screw 6 and the upper end of the sleeve 5. Said washer is beveled on its lower face adjoining its edges and is countersunk centrally of its upper face to adapt it to receivethe cone-shaped inner face of the screw-head for engaging the washer firmly with the end of the sleeve.

The end of the bag or sack after being properly secured or closed is folded into plaits conforming to the width of the box or case,

with the end resting against the back wall v thereof, and is provided with a series of perforations having eyelets secured in them adapted to engage the sleeve 5, after which the lid 3 is placed in position over said folds and engages the upper end of the sleeve 5, compressing the folds of the mouth of the bag or sack firmly within the case. The washer is then placed upon the end of the sleeve 5 and the screw 6 screwed to place therein with its point end about flush with the sleeve 5, as explained, thereby closing said end. The lead seal or disk 9 is now placed overthe end of the sleeve and of the screw therein and is forced into place by means of the annularlyflanged rim and punch 10. (Shown in Fig. i.)

The edges of'the said lead seal or disk are forced into engagement with the beveled edges of the washer and by means of the crowding action of the annular flange of the die are, as it were, caused to be riveted around said washer, so that it can only be removed by means of the punch cutting away the'portion immediately over the headed screw, the head of which is provided with a nick 11, adapting it when a portion of the lead covering it has been removed tobe withdrawn by means of a screw-driver for releasing the lid and permitting the removal of the bag. The punch or die for securing the lead seal in place may contain the name of the post-office, bank, or other firm or corporation bagging the valuables for shipment, and being in the 'bility of instant detection.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-- 1. In a seal-lock for bags, the holder case or box open at one side and provided with a removable lid or cover, in combination with an internally-screw-threaded sleeve, and a headed screw engaging said sleeve, substantially as described.

2. In a seal-lock for bags, the holder box or case for the mouth of the bag, an internally-' screw-threaded sleeve or cylinder in said case for engaging the bag, a headed screw engaging said cylinder, and a lead seal applied to the cover and the headed end of said screw, substantially as described.

3. The combination in a seal-1ock, of the holder box or case, the internally screwthreaded cylinder therein for engaging eyelets in the open end of the bag, a headed screw for engaging said sleeve provided with a beveled and countersunk Washer, and a lead seal applied to said screw-head and Washer, sub stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT AUGUSTUS MILLS.

Witnesses:

W. F. BARNES, R. H. MARKs. 

